Poco

Poco — like Neil Young and Crosby, Stills & Nash — began their career in the wake of groundbreaking '60s rockers Buffalo Springfield. Former Springfielders Richie Furay and Jim Messina forged a fresh, new country-rock sound when that style was still untested. The bluegrass-gone-pop harmonies and tart, twanging licks of "You Better Think Twice" gave the band its first hit in 1970. "Pickin' Up the Pieces" was the first Poco song Furay ever wrote — with an undeniable sense of optimism in his voice, he sang, "There's just a little bit of magic in the country music we're singin'," and you'd better believe it's true. But even Furay probably couldn't imagine that Poco would still be scoring some of their biggest hits decades later, like the 1989 pop-sheen-meets-country-soul smash "Call It Love." Discover the full force of Poco's pioneering sound — from two-steps to new steps — in Next Steps.

Poco is the crucial link between the Laurel Canyon folk-rock scene of the '60s and the country-rock sounds of the '70s. One of Richie Furay's finest Buffalo Springfield songs, the sweet, soulful "Kind Woman" remained in his arsenal even at Poco concerts. And not only did two Eagles — Randy Meisner and Timothy B. Schmit — play with Furay and friends first, but early Poco tunes like "Hurry Up (Now Tell Me) blend pop harmonies, R&B inflections, and down-home roots-rock for a sound that undoubtedly influenced Messrs. Henley and Frey. But Poco never let themselves stray too far from their roots either — the proof is all over their fiddle-sawin', banjo-flailin' "Rocky Mountain Breakdown." Experience Poco's instrumental might and head-spinning harmonies in Deep Cuts.

The Eagles had the superstar status, and Gram Parsons' Flying Burrito Brothers had the mystique, but first-generation country-rockers Poco had something all their own that helped them outlast all the competition. Part of it is their pedigree — check out the way they one-up their own past by recasting Buffalo Springfield's "Go and Say Goodbye" as a steady-rolling, steel-guitar-drenched country kicker. Part of it is the pure pickin' chops that punch their country cred home on the twang-banging twists and turns of "Grand Junction." And part of it is just the warm feeling welling up inside when those sweet, strong voices join together on the simply irresistible likes of "Consequently So Long."

Through constantly shifting lineups, Poco has managed to keep its horse riding steady on the trail for over four decades. Keeping country-rock roots close at hand but adding a touch of pop pizzazz, they've racked up their share of hits, but the band is not just a singles factory — they're a full-fledged rock phenomenon. Consider that they were one the very first, and finest, country-rock bands — Laurel Canyon cowboys who helped define the sound of the '70s, paving the way for the Eagles and countless others. There are dozens of awesome albums lining the Poco path, with different sets of stellar players popping up in each era. So where do you begin? Not to worry — we've picked out the prime moments and pulled them all into one potent pile to give you the ultimate Poco experience. Now isn't that "A Good Feelin' to Know"?